SARON BAY, TREASURE OF SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GREEK ISLANDS

The Saronic Islands group is in an ideal location, if you ask the residents of the Greek capital or the Peloponnese, in the first place. It is the proximity of Attica and the Peloponnese that makes them a frequent choice for a short vacation for many Greeks.

However, one of those islands is gladly visited by Serbian tourists, ie pilgrims.

There are 4 out of 6 islands from this group in the Saronic Gulf. But all of them together belong to the prefecture of Piraeus and are well connected with the mainland. These are the islands: Salamis, Poros, Aegina, Agistri, Dokos, Hydra and Speces.

Salamis

This is one of those islands that can be reached after a ten-minute drive from the Greek mainland. That is why many Athenians have cottages on the island of Salamis.

Apart from excellent cafes and taverns, there is also a monastery dedicated to the Mother of God Faneromona, as well as a church dedicated to St. Demetrius, which also houses the tomb of George Karaiskakis, one of the leaders of the Greek War of Independence.

The lookout point, which offers an unrealistically beautiful view, is located near the cross, located above the monastery dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

In addition to several beautifully landscaped beaches, there are excellent wild beaches on this island.

Poros

Although currently in the spotlight due to intensified measures due to the corona virus pandemic, the island of Poros is definitely another favorite holiday destination for Athenians.

The clock tower, which dates from 1927, is one of the sights of this island. This is where many tourists are usually photographed, and the view of the island and its surroundings is phenomenal.

In addition to the National Museum, there is an interesting archeological museum on Poros, and the remains of the former Poseidon temple are in its northern part.

Aegina

The reason why this island, about 40 km by air from Athens, is visited by many Serbian tourists is the monastery of St. Nectarios. On Aegina, there are also churches dedicated to Saint Dionysius and Saint Nicholas, as well as the remains of a temple dedicated to the god Zeus, within the archeological site on Mount Oros.

There is a lot to see in the capital of the island, and there are also great beaches.

Agistri

Little less than 900 inhabitants live on this island, and it is about 5 kilometers away from Aegina.

Most of the accommodation is located in Milos and Skala. It is well connected with the Athens port of Piraeus by ferry lines, as well as with nearby Aegina.

Dokos

Only 13 people live on Dokos. The total area of ​​this island is only about 12 km². It is closest to the island of Hydra, to whose municipality it belongs. It is practically separated only by one strait from that island.

It is known for the wreck, which was found near it. It is estimated that her age is between 2,500 and 2,000 BC. it is considered to be the oldest shipwreck in the world.

Hydra

You have probably heard that the island of Hydra is home to the famous singer Leonard Cohen. And you may have heard that this is an island where there are no cars. Donkeys are mostly used as a means of transportation.

It covers an area of ​​about 65 km2, with a population of just under 3,000. It is only about 10 km away from the Peloponnese coast.

There is also a Historical Museum on the island, but still Hydra can not boast of such beautiful beaches as most other Saronic islands, although it cannot be disputed that there are many of them.

Speces

Only about 5 km separates this island from the Peloponnese. It covers an area of ​​about 27 km2 and is home to about 4,000 people.

This is one of the more attractive islands, as far as the Greeks are concerned, because many extremely successful inhabitants of Greece have their cottages on it. Unlike Hydra, although the use of cars is prohibited here, it is allowed to use motorcycles and mopeds.

Among the Greeks, the island of Speces is especially known as the birthplace of the heroine of the Greek War of Independence, Lascarina Bubilina. In addition to the museum dedicated to her, there is also a statue of Bubula on the island. There are enough beaches on this miniature island for everyone’s taste.